Breaking Away (Rocking Racers Book 3)

by Megan Lowe

  “That sounds good,” he agrees.

  Against all odds, we manage to get up the stairs without either of us toppling back down them, and into Josh’s room. Aubrey has pulled his sheets back and put the bin beside his bed.

  “There you go,” I tell him as he flops on his bed and promptly passes out. I chuckle and move to take his shoes off.

  “You don’t have to do that,” Aubrey says, when she sees what I’m doing.

  I tug off Josh’s other shoe and toss it on the floor. “It’s already done.”

  “What did he mean when he said you defended my honour tonight?” she asks.

  “It was nothing.”

  “No, I want to know,” she insists.

  I sigh and run a hand through my hair. “Some guys you went to school with were giving Josh a hard time about you. I let them know that what they were saying wasn’t an acceptable way to talk about a lady.”

  “Why?” she asks, a confused look on her face.

  “Because it wasn’t.”

  “No, I mean—”

  “I know what you meant,” I say, cutting her off. “You were right with what you said this morning.”

  “Right about what?”

  I look to her twin, spread-eagle on his bed, snoring softly, and think about my own brother. “That I don’t deserve you. You do deserve more than me, more than the pain I bring to people.”

  “I don’t understand,” she says.

  I give her a wry smile. “I know, and you’re better off not knowing. You’re a great girl, Aubrey, and one day you’ll make someone very happy. I’m glad you refuse to settle for less than you’re worth.”

  “I am so confused right now,” she says.

  I smile again. “I know, and it’s okay. Tell Josh I’ll be round in the morning,” I say as I walk out of the room.

  “Wait!” she says, scurrying after me. I stop at the top of the stairs. “What was that all about?” she asks, slightly out of breath.

  “Nothing, I was just admitting you were right.”

  “Is this part of your game?” She crosses her arms, giving me another eyeful of her chest.

  “Nope, no game, just the truth.”

  “I don’t get what’s going on here,” she says again.

  “Nothing’s going on, I’m just being honest.”

  She shakes her head. “No, there’s something more at work. It’s what guys like you do.”

  “I promise you, Aubrey, there’s no game, no ‘guys like me,’ just me, Mav.”

  She takes a minute to consider me. “So why have you come to this conclusion now?”

  I shrug. “You reminded me of some things.”

  “What things?” she asks.

  “I thought you didn’t care?” I arch an eyebrow.

  “I don’t. That doesn’t mean I’m not curious about the game you’re playing, though.”

  I sigh. “I’ve told you, there’s no game. You’re a beautiful girl who deserves more than me, like you said.”

  “So you don’t want me anymore?” she asks, in a small voice.

  I laugh. “Oh, sweetheart, nothing could be further from the truth.” The situation in my shorts right now is proof of that.

  “But you’re giving up on me.”

  I cup her cheek. “Sweetheart, if I thought you wanted me and I was good for you, nothing could convince me to give up on you.”

  “What’s going on, Mav? What’s changed between this morning and now?” she asks.

  I give her what I hope is a reassuring smile. “Nothing.”

  “You’re not in trouble, are you?”

  I shake my head. “No, everything’s fine.”

  “I feel like something’s happened here and I don’t know what.”

  I press a gentle kiss to her forehead. “It’s nothing you need to worry about, sweetheart,” I tell her, before turning and walking down the steps and into the night.

  Chapter 11

  Aubrey

  I can’t get Mav’s final words from the other night out of my head. I can’t get a lot of what he said out of my head. I tried asking Josh what he meant when he said Mav defended my honour, but he drank so much he couldn’t remember. There was just something about Mav that stayed with me though. Maybe it was the sadness in his voice or the look in his eyes…. I don’t know exactly what it was, but it makes me believe there is definitely more to Mav Ryan than I initially thought. Maybe I’ve been wrong about him all this time? That thought alone is enough to make me at least consider giving Mav a chance, to get to know him and see what’s beneath the tattoos.

  That’s all going to have to take a back seat however, as the two weeks Connor gave us are almost up and we’re no closer to having the money now than we were then.

  Like always, Mav strolls in like he owns the place. He slips his Wayfarers on top of his thick black hair, which is shaved on the sides and long on top. The look of him screams bad boy, but I’m seriously doubting that assumption now. Connor comes into my mind, as he often has in the two years since we broke up, and the door on my earlier thoughts slams shut. I can’t bring Mav into this mess, knowing that in a matter of hours I’m going to be in debt to the devil himself.

  After a long day of tutes and lectures, my concentration not helped by thoughts of Mav and Connor, I head home, exhausted. All I want to do is run a bath and lie in it until the water’s cold, but a strange car in the driveway stops me in my tracks, and fear pierces my insides. Connor must have come to collect.

  Opening the door, I’m met with shouting coming from the living room.

  “I’m telling you, man, I don’t know where she is,” Josh says.

  “Well it’s either her or my money,” Connor sneers.

  “I don’t have it,” Josh sobs.

  “You’re none from two, tubs.”

  As I walk around the corner I see Connor start to advance on my brother. In the year since I last saw him, he’s changed a lot. Or maybe it’s because I know what’s lurking beneath his slick exterior. His once warm brown eyes now appear to be an eerie black. A trick of light or something more sinister? I’m not sure I want to know either way. A smirk is on what I once thought was a handsome face. How did the boy I once knew turn into this monster? Hair slicked back and arms folded, he still looks like he could use a few sessions at the gym. The two hulk-like goons standing behind him fit the bill if he needs muscle, I guess.

  “I’m here,” I say, my voice belying the fear I’m currently feeling.

  Connor stops and turns to me, his eyes sweeping me from head to toe. “Aubrey, baby, you look good,” he says as he swaggers over to me. He grabs me by the hips, pulling me flush to him, his erection digging into me. I try to push him away but it’s no use. He leans down to kiss me and I turn my head, his lips finding my cheek before running down my neck. I can’t suppress the shiver that runs through me.

  “See, you missed me just as much as I missed you,” Connor says in my ear.

  “That was revulsion, not lust,” I spit.

  He chuckles. “I missed that fiery temper of yours, babe.”

  I struggle to get away from him, but all I succeed in doing is rubbing against him, making him harden further.

  “It seems you and I have a debt to settle,” he says, as he runs his nose along my shoulder and up my neck. “Should we go upstairs and start working it off?”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  He pulls back to look at me. “You’re backing out? You know the terms of our deal, babe. Either I get the thirty-five hundred tubs over there owes me or I get you. Now, seeing as though tubby doesn’t have the money, ha!” He chuckles. “That means I get you, which I’m more than okay with.” I struggle to get out of his grasp.

  “Hey, man, did I leave my Intro textbook here?” I hear Mav say, seconds before he walks into the living room. “Whoa!” He stops dead when he surveys the scene. “What’s going on?”

  “Who the fuck are you?” Connor asks.

  “Mav Ryan, who the fuc
k are you?” Mav replies.

  “Mav Ryan the FMX rider?” Connor asks, a touch of admiration in his voice.

  “Mav Ryan the uni student and friend of Josh and Aubrey’s. Now is someone going to tell me what the fuck is going on, or am I going to have to start throwing punches?” he demands.

  “It’s nothing for you to worry your pretty little head over, Mav,” Connor sneers. “I have business with the twins, that’s all.”

  Mav’s eyes take me in. My arms are tight to my chest, a look of fear and disgust no doubt on my face. “Yeah well, Aubrey looks like she’s very much opposed to that business, so why don’t you tell me what’s going on. Maybe I can help.”

  “Connor’s my bookie,” Josh says. “I’m in debt and can’t pay, so he’s taking Aubrey as payment.”

  “Hey, she offered herself to me,” Connor says.

  “I don’t fucking think so,” Mav fumes. “How much do you owe?”

  “Too much,” Josh mumbles.

  “How much does he owe?” he asks Connor. I’m confused as to why he would ask that. I mean, I know Josh is his friend and everything, but it’s a lot of money.

  “Thirty-five hundred, but don’t trouble yourself with that, I’m more than happy with my payment,” he says, and squeezes me tighter.

  “What’s your bank account number?” Mav asks.

  “What?” Connor asks, confused.

  “Your bank account. I’ll transfer the funds now.”

  Connor narrows his eyes at Mav. “How do I know you’re good for it?”

  Mav shrugs. “I’m good for it. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

  Connor chuckles. “Trust you?”

  “The way I look at it,” Mav says, “is I’m the one who shouldn’t be trusting you. You don’t need to worry, you’ll get your money.”

  Connor stops to think for a moment. “Okay fine. I’ll let you pay off this loser’s debt,” he says, gesturing over his shoulder towards Josh, “but I’m going to have to raise the amount to four grand. To cover my extra costs and what not. I’ll also have to take Aubrey, you know, as collateral until the funds clear, ’cause I don’t know you.”

  “How about I transfer the funds into your PayPal right now so you can check straight away, but Aubrey stays here,” Mav counters.

  “Do you even have that kind of money?” Josh asks.

  “To keep Aubrey away from this dickhead, yeah, I do,” Mav says. He looks at me, and beyond the anger in his eyes is concern and something else, affection maybe? It’s clear to me now that I was very wrong about Mav. How I ever could’ve thought he was anything like Connor is a mystery to me. “I’ll even up the amount to five grand, but Aubrey stays,” he says to Connor, his voice firm, leaving no room to argue.

  “You’re really going to pay off this loser’s debt?” Connor asks, shocked.

  “The way I see it, I’m paying to keep them safe, but a rose by any other name….”

  Shakespeare, he’s quoting Shakespeare right now? Who the hell is Mav Ryan?

  Connor chuckles and lets me go. “Looks like that date’s going to have to be put on hold, babe.”

  “Screw you,” I say, as Mav drags me behind him.

  “Oh, babe, I’ve already done that, but I’d be more than willing to call this whole thing off so we can go again.”

  “Just give me your fucking account address so we can get this whole thing over with,” Mav snaps.

  Connor gives him the details and a few taps later Mav says, “Done, now get the fuck out of here.”

  “Uh-uh, not so fast, I have to check first.” Slowly Connor pulls his phone out of his pocket and leisurely unlocks it. A minute later we hear the Facebook clicks and pops.

  “You’re on fucking Facebook?” Mav roars.

  Connor shrugs. “My mum tagged me in one of those funny cats GIFs. It’d be rude to ignore it, she is my mum after all.”

  “You cocksucking motherfucker,” Mav says, and goes to lunge at him, but I hold him back.

  “Don’t,” I whisper. “He’s not worth it.” He’s breathing hard, eyes shooting daggers at Connor.

  “Just check your account and go. You’ve gotten more than you were owed so there’s no reason for you to stick around,” Mav tells my ex-boyfriend.

  “Oh, there’s a reason,” Connor says, “and I’m lookin’ at two of ’em.” His eyes are focused on my chest.

  Mav shoves me behind him. “Just check the fucking account and get out.”

  “Hmm,” Connor says a minute later.

  “What?” Josh asks.

  “You’re real lucky,” Connor tells my brother.

  “You’ve got your money, now leave,” Mav says, “before I really lose my temper.”

  “There’s no need for that, Mav,” Connor says. “We’re all friends here, this was all just a friendly business transaction.”

  “Get out!” Mav roars.

  Connor holds his hands up. “I’m going, I’m going. Aubrey, baby, if you still want to take me up on that date, call me. Josh, you know where to find me.”

  Mav follows Connor to the door and slams it behind him. He then turns his attention to me and my brother.

  Chapter 12

  Mav

  I slam the door on the piece of shit and turn and face the twins. Both have concerned and nervous looks on their faces. Good, they should be. What a total clusterfuck! I shudder when I think about what that creep could have been doing with Aubrey if I hadn’t stepped in. The revulsion quickly subsides however, and possessiveness takes its place. He can’t have her. No one can have her. She’s mine. I know she deserves to be with someone who’s a lot less fucked up than I am, but the look on her face when I first walked in is stuck with me. I might be torn up ten different ways inside, but I know I’ll do anything, absolutely anything in my power to avoid seeing that look on her face.

  With that in mind, my anger switches focus to her and Josh. “What the fuck were you thinking?” I direct at him. “A bookie? A gambling debt in the thousands of dollars? What the fuck, man?” He at least hangs his head.

  “I know.”

  “That’s fucked up.”

  He nods.

  “And you.” I turn to Aubrey. “What were you thinking? Promising yourself? To that piece of shit?” I don’t realise it, but by the time I’ve finished I’m almost right up in her face. The thoughts of what she promised Connor send my temper from boiling to volcanic.

  “Hey,” she says, pushing my chest, and I can’t help but take a moment to appreciate how good her hands feel on me, even through my shirt. “I was doing what I had to in order to help my brother.”

  Her staunch defence of Josh breaks through my anger and I deflate quickly. My girl has spunk. It was misplaced this time, but I can’t fault her for defending her twin. I grab her hands and pull her into my chest. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, it’s just, seeing you near that creep made my blood boil.” I turn to look at Josh. “You need some help, dude.”

  His shoulders slump. “I know.”

  I stroke my hands up and down Aubrey’s back. God, it feels so good to have her in my arms, her lavender and rose scent calming me. “And you”—I pull back and lift her chin so she’s looking me in the eyes—“don’t ever do something like that again. I don’t care if you’re helping your brother or the Queen of England, you do not put yourself in harm’s way, you got it?” She looks up at me with soft eyes, free from the hate and loathing they usually carry when they see me. It’s in this moment I know I’m gone, that as much as she’s mine, I’m hers.

  “Mav,” she says, in her soft, husky voice.

  “I mean it, Aubrey. I almost killed that guy because of the way he looked at you.” She nods. “Good,” I say, and kiss her forehead.

  “Not that I’m not grateful for you paying off my debt,” Josh says, “because I am, so, so grateful, but how can you afford it? And what did Connor mean when he mentioned FMX?”

  I sigh. I’ve been dreading the moment this would come up. “Come on, le
t’s sit down.” I take Aubrey by the hand and lead her to the couch. She goes to sit beside me, but I pull her onto my lap instead. As she snuggles into my chest, I suddenly realise why Reed insists on sitting this way with Bria. I blow out a breath. “So yeah, I um, I used to ride a bit,” I say.

  “Ride?” Aubrey asks. “As in motorbikes?”

  I nod. “Yeah, and do tricks on them. It’s called freestyle motocross, FMX for short.”

  “Were you any good?” Josh asks.

  I shrug. “I was okay, I guess.”

  “So if I google you, more than your old Myspace page will come up?” he asks, and I nod. “Can I?”

  I shrug again. “Knock yourself out.”

  “Why didn’t you mention this before?” Aubrey asks me.

  “Because that’s not who I am or what I want to be. I came up here for a fresh start and to leave all that behind. It was working up until today.”

  “Holy shit!” Josh says, as the familiar sound of a four-stroke engine comes from his phone. “You’re not just okay, you’re a freaking Extreme Games medallist, a gold medallist.”

  I shrug.

  “You’re a gold medallist?” Aubrey asks.

  “Five-time gold medallist, but it’s nothing,” I say.

  “Bullshit it’s nothing, you’re fucking amazing! How the hell do you do all this?” Josh asks.

  “A lot of practice, not a lot of fear, and a generous amount of stupidity.”

  Aubrey gestures for the phone and Josh hands it over.

  “Wow,” she says after she watches the clip of my motocross run from the Extreme Games a few months ago. “You’re amazing,” she says, her face full of wonder.

  “I think you’re amazing,” I say as I lean forward to capture her lips. They’re soft as they move against mine. We’re both beaming as we break apart.

  “So now can we go on that date?”

  Chapter 13

  Aubrey

  I’m nervous as I get ready for my first date with Mav. Not that I’m worried that he’ll turn out like Connor. I don’t think he would’ve done the things he’s done for me and Josh if he was biding his time to show his true colours. No, I’m nervous because I know he’s not doing that. Mav is, well, he’s incredible and unlike anyone I’ve ever met. What he did for Josh? Totally hit me right where it counts. I haven’t had that much experience with guys, and what I have, hasn’t been that memorable. But I know Mav is different from them. I can see the differences when he and Josh laugh and joke. He genuinely likes my brother, not because of me, but because he just does. I can tell he’s the type of guy who feels everything deeply, who puts the needs of others before himself. Of course that was obvious when he paid off Josh’s debt, but I think there’s more to it. And if I’m right, which I’m pretty sure I am, then I want to get to know the boy, no the man, that makes up Maverick Ryan.